Internal combustion engines arranged with their cylinders in a V-shape and using push rods are well known. The valves in such engines may be actuated from a single, centrally located camshaft. In a common arrangement, the valves are angled toward a centerline of the engine to give a generally wedge-shaped combustion chamber. An engine of this type usually operates with each valve having one push rod, and each push rod corresponding to one cam lobe.
Internal combustion engines with three valves per cylinder, including two intake valves, are also known. In such a three valve per cylinder design, the two intake valves may be driven by a bridged rocker spanning the intake valves and actuated by a single cam lobe. It should be noted that this practice of operating two valves with one rocker arm is used in four valve overhead camshaft engines wherein two valves are actuated by a similar rocker employing a roller at camshaft lobe. A significant advantage of the three valve push rod architecture verses a four valve overhead camshaft cylinder head is an appreciable performance gain using a much simpler compact design. The three valve push rod device would not use the large sprockets, multiple camshafts, and belt or chain structure created in overhead camshaft engines.